So you're in a self insert 2? Electric bogaloo
by Empeorie
Summary: Ever Wanted to write an Self insert. Need tips for how to write one? Welcome to the sequel to the definitive guide to self inserts. It's time for self insert 101. For new writers and skilled ones.
1. Chapter 1

_**So you're in a self Insert? A writers guide 2**_

_**Write harder for the electric boogaloo.**_

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Welcome one and all. The holidays are over, the teenage writers have wrote a couple of chapters in the down time, more and more people are writing self inserts. Is this a good thing? Many aren't of the highest standard and many are extremely lazy. So clearly they either skimmed through this previous book or hate you all. Or never read it. Or can't write no good. We shall see, but, there is something I, you and everyone can do. And that is to release a sequel to the guide to the niche market of fiction inside a fiction which is a game. I am talking of course, about So you're in a self insert? A writers guide 2. Or S.Y.I.A.S.I.A.W.G. Catchy. Lets begin;

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_**The reviews:**_

In my previous "Book" I promised that I would allow you the gift to receive reviews. To be honest, the easiest way is to make a really crap story. But let's take the Empeorie route, the Herr Wozzeck route, the Inf3ctionZ route or however you spell it.

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Make every chapter as varied as possible. This starts a conversation piece. People love conversation. This means that every chapter has an extremely funny line, or maybe an new and original plot point. Not only is this good writing but it also is a great review point. Also, Don't ever ask for a review. Ever. This can not be stressed enough. This ticks people off. Also, finally, Suggest that you want feedback, that you want to improve yourself. I recently asked for help with writing action scenes, my biggest weakness. This got a lot of very helpful reviews with people responding with tips and tricks. Not only does it give a feeling of showing kindness and helping another human being but it also helps you. Let me help you to get other people to help you to help us all. Simple.

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**The title, an in depth guide.**

I touched on this briefly but lets go over my previous help. Make it a pun of the words Mass &/Or Effect. But what else. Certian puns work better then others. A pun that has the same letters can increase readership, because they subconsciously believe it is like Mass Effect. It's true. Another is to make a culture reference. A "Mass defect" is better then "A self insert story.".

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**The actual writing, Tenses:**

Okay, here are some actual writing tips. Firstly, pick a tense. This could be past, present, 1st person or 3rd person. Each have their own specific advantages and disadvantages. But I've already covered that (Chapter 2 of book one) so the important thing is unless it's a flashback you keep to the tense you have chosen. Do not under any circumstances constantly change tense within a story or sentence. Example:

"I am going to shoot, but then the self insert shot."

See, that sentence is strange and confusing.

**.**

**Actual Writing, Paragraphs:**

Another important thing to do whilst writing is to paragraph. This makes it easier for the reader to read and splits up the writing, giving you and the reader a break. One huge lump of text is unreadable because the human eye has nowhere to rest. If they look just slightly down there on another line and the "Future" Is spoilt for them. Also remember there is a glitch with the software that Fanfiction use which means usually spaces between lines don't appear. To deal with this you may have noticed before and after every paragraph I have added fullstops to stop this. You may want to do a similar thing.

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**Actual Writing, Point of view:**

Here is an interesting experiment, name one SI that you actually enjoy only seeing their thoughts, opinions and what they see. I can wait. It's important to write alternate points of view to flesh out your universe and to develop your side characters. We want to see Kaiden's or Ashley's opinion of the other side being sacrificed for them to live. We want to know how others see the Self insert. Here's another a tip. Imagine your reader actually hates your SI. Many do. They don't want to focus on someone they dislike. This also goes for if there are more then one SI's in the group, don't just focus on one of them, let us see how that dark edgy loner or the psychopathic friend react rather then the boring Everyman protagonist. Do you find Shepard an interesting character? No, we all really prefer the side characters. This is true with your self insert. However, we do need a clear protagonist to lead us and we need an everyman to relate to. Just remember other characters may be more liked.

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**How to write a sequel? A writers Guide:**

Firstly, you must never ever assume that everyone has read your previous story. Many people have never played Mass Effect 1 and so only read Mass Effect two stories. There are several ways you can do this. Like a previously on... Paragraph to explain what has happened. However, this is not very "Organic" And as such is rather jarring for readers both new and old. A more skilled way is to start a fresh and drop obvious hints to what had happened previously. For example, if Shepard had romanced Kaiden before dying you can have a line like:

"But the person who took her death hardest was Kaiden, the first women he ever loved dying to save Joker."

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**To update or not to update? That is the question:**

Ever been pissed off at another thing because it doesn't update regularly? This is true for other people. Many people would say to write a chapter as soon and as fast as you can without ruining quality and then update it a week after the previous instalment. This is a good tip and good for some but I personally find that if you have finished a chapter you should get it over with and post it. This removes a worry from your mind and also gives you more time to write the next chapter. But as I say, it all depends on you.

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**Conclusion:**

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In conclusion, this chapter has focused on writing rather then the actual community. And one last tip. Write your own tips, write them down, stick them on a post-it note and stick em to your computer, or write them on your computer as a note. And if they are particularly good perhaps you should send them in for the next chapter. If you forgot, next chapter I was hoping would be an chapter written entirely by people like you in order to get a different perspective. However, I have only the tips for writing action and two others (Credits given next chapter.) So I want you to send in tips and trick you have delevoped and perhaps they will appear in the next chapter with your name next to them?

**As always I want to wish good luck with your writing, hope this and the previous guide helped you, read that if you haven't yet and remember:**

**Empeorie were done here.,..**


	2. My day off

**So you're in a self insert 2? Electric bogaloo **

**Chapter 2- My day off**

Hello and welcome to the latest chapter of this story. Todays chapter has been made from collecting together various tips and tricks you the readers have sent in. Full credits shall be given to those who have written them. I choose to do this so you can get a different set of perspectives and views. Any contradictions are of the opinion of the writer. Let's dive in.

* * *

**This segment was written by Fan-Fic writer CuHnadian:**

**Get to the point:**

In this day and age, people get bored easily and this is also true when reading. There's nothing wrong with adding details to a scene, however it can also be unnecessary. Now this isn't something to look out for when writing a rough cut since you should be focusing on getting the words on a page, but it's very important when rewriting/editing. I'll use a part from my story as an example.

Rough cut : _I really don't know what to expect, we should definitely have enough to survive for..._When the page appeared my eyes widened in shock as well as everybody else. All of us just stood there, eyes glued to the screen not daring to blink.

**Zune Digital Media Player**  
**Original Maker - Microsoft**  
**Status - Very Rare**  
**Estimated Value $150,000 - 200,000**

Final cut : _I really don't know what to expect, we should definitely have enough to survive for..._

**Zune Digital Media Player**  
**Original Maker - Microsoft**  
**Status - Very Rare**  
**Estimated Value $150,000 - 200,000**

The saying "Less is more" always comes up when writing, because it's true. When editing you should always look for details that the reader doesn't need to know. Having a beta reader also helps, speaking of which.

**Have a beta reader:**

Many times even when rewriting I've missed some big errors, and I know I'm not alone in this. It's usual due to being so caught up that you zone out a lot of things that would be very noticeable if it were somebody else's story. Having a beta reader cures this problem. They can also help with making better dialogue, speed up the pacing and much more. My mother is a writer so I've had her beta read my story and while we do disagree on something every single time, my chapters always come out better because of her.

Action Scenes:

This could also be in the "Get to the point" part but I feel this needs to be talked about on it's on. I am by no means a master of this, but I have picked up some pointers when writing action scenes.

**Don't use full names of things: **Just because my character uses a Walther P99 pistol, doesn't mean I need to use it's full name when in a shootout.

**Don't focus to long on one part: **If an action scene is a lengthy, then make sure it's varied. Sticking to one part of a scene for too long bores the reader.

**Don't enter slow motion: **This is arguable and sometimes it can be done well, but I still think it's better to avoid. This usual happens when a character has died or is about to. When I think of scenes like this, I find movies, TV shows, games, books, that have done these two scenes without entering slow motion always end up being more effective. You're not Max Payne, deal with it.

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**This Segment is brought to you by Reviewer The Zii and it concerns writing action scenes:**

Anyways, battle scenes need to be short. Nobody want to read about a two hours lasting battle. 15 minutes is the max in my opinion.

Also, keep it realistic. So no things like:

"He ran forward, in each arm a machine gun, ingoring all bullets fired on him. He began firing at them, sparing no bullets. After thinning their ranks and forcing them into cover, he jumped over the barricade and knifed every merc on his path."

Nowadays in warfare, close combat is rare. So no melee thingies, exept when there is a Krogan in blood rage storming at you or something like that.

Another classic mistake is that Assault rifles are fired fully automatic. Have you ever seen a M4A1 being fired fully automatic? The magazine is empty in seconds. Assault rifles are fired in bursts of 3-5 bullets. Fully is only used when providing covering fire, but then you generally just stick your gun around the corner and hope to make the enemy jump for cover.

Also, try to ignore shields/barriers/armor as much as possible. I've always wondered why biotics aren't able to go through shields. They're supposed to stop high-velocity objects, but biotics aren't an object, are they?

Also, try to integrate a lot of teamwork. Nobody is going to appreciate it when you're getting rid of all enemies yourself, and having the rest of the team just tag along for talks and lulz.

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**This episode has been brought to you by the letter E and Private messenger Stuch:**

Your character - even (or perhaps especially) if this character is yourself - doesn't have to be somebody that you like. A character is so much more interesting to write if they are someone who occasionally says, does or chooses something that gets right up your nose and pisses you off. And anything that is more interesting to write, will become something more interesting to read in turn.

I couldn't agree more. Let's face it. Unless your feeling really sad your unlikely to take the necessary pot-shots at yourself to create a 3d character.

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**Finally, TREBOR117 sends us out with how to portray cannon characters**

Protraying charecters  
Now obviously, it's important to think about how your own charecter reacts. If  
they're screaming at someone one second then calmly turning to someone else,  
that's an issue. Unless there's a very strong reason for the mood swings, your  
charecter will be insane.  
But you also have to think about how other charecters think.  
Let's take Jack or Miranda as an example.**  
**

You can portray them several ways:(Subsitute Shepard for whatever charecter  
you have)

Bitch: Miranda fumed as Shepard ignored her advice completely. How dare he  
think he knew better then her?  
Shepard made one too many comments and Jack lost it. One second he was  
standing, the next second he was a stain on the wall.

Or you can portray them like in the game, tough hiding a softer side.  
Shepard felt his heart melt as Miranda embraced her long lost sister. For all  
that she didn't act like it, she was still human.  
Shepard held tightly as she leaned her head on his shoulder. She had been  
through a lot, and Shepard was the first that she'd trusted.

Those are only a few examples, since the charecters are so diverse and  
different in personalities.

But above all, beware the out-of-charecter. This is where they no longer act  
like themselves at all. This could happen in several ways:  
Everybody ends up like your SI charecter, laughing and thinking like them (Or  
like you, whichever)or all act the same.  
Everybody is suddenly homosexual (Especially has to be watched with a female  
protaganist.) If you want to make one or two a different sexuality, that's one  
thing. But it can often be taken too far.  
Everybody becomes a charectercure. This was discussed already in chapter 3 so  
we'll skip it  
They only show a single side to themselves (EI Kasumi joking about every  
thing, even in battle.)

Finally, the biggest downfall: Making the charecters unrealistic.  
This happens when:  
Jack no longer swears constantly, and acts like a sweet... that sentence  
shouldn't even be finished it's so unrealistic.  
Miranda instantly hates Cerberus just because you say so. You can convince her  
eventually, but be smart about it.  
Kasumi becomes way too serious  
Kaiden is suddenly a jerk.  
Jacob ends up as Kaiden 2.0, or he ends up way less noble  
There's a lot of ways to mess that up. Keeping the other charecters constant  
is just as important as keeping your own charecter constant

My main point is that in a lot of stories, not just SIs, the charecters end up  
way different then in the game. These are just a few examples.

* * *

**Conclusion By Empeorie**

Well that was nice, an easy chapter to write for me, however these tips are extremely useful and I believe they apply to more than just SI's. Hope you enjoyed this chapter go and review this story. As always;

**Empeorie were done here...**


	3. Chapter 3

_**So you're in a self insert 2? Electric bogaloo**_

_**Chapter 3**_

Welcome one and all, to the next chapter of the only guide of it's kind. Let's begin.

* * *

**So you're stuck in a writers block?**

We all get this. Some idiot has cut off your supply of Plot Bunnies and you have no idea what to write next. So what do you do?

My suggestion: Start a new story. This may seem odd and counter productive but if you use the pent up ideas you have that you couldn't apply to your other story then you will find inspiration will come to you. You don't have to publish your story and it does not have to be a Mass Effect self insert (We've got enough of them at the moment.) But this will help. I once did this and released a little sarcastic story called "So you're in a Self Insert? A writers Guide" And that became my most popular story. It also gave me the necessary inspiration and guidance to write. Another is to try and give yourself some inspiration. Read a popular Self insert or watch a movie with a similar plot (I would suggest Back to the Future but then again I love those films.) Or listen to some music. But remember, be unique, it's inspiration NOT Ctrl-V.

* * *

**But** **Should I write?**

Have you ever seen the lovely Pixar film Ratatouille? There is a line which, with modification, suits my purpose perfectly. "Anyone can write." This does not mean everyone can. Perhaps you have atrocious spelling, little understanding of the source or just crap at writing, but every single reader of this story is perfectly capable of publishing a Mass Effect story. You should not fear negative criticism or shame. You should embrace it as a challenge and motivation for you to improve your story. All of you are capable of writing, but you must practise.

* * *

**Gosh darn Cunt**

Swearing. Many teenage writers will make it so that every character, especially their own, swears more than a sailor. They do this under the false pretension that this is the mature or adult thing to do. But here is a quick question, how many adults swear at you daily? The answer. Few to none. This is because a part of growing up is learning to contain emotions. Swearing is an sensitive topic. It is, by definition, offensive. So, if you are going to have your characters swear, apply these guidelines:

No racial discrimination: This is completely unacceptable, no one wants to be insulted by an author and it is racist. It makes out the character and by proxy you the author to be a massive dick head.

No sexism: Again, unacceptable. This insults a possible 50% or more of your readership and is social taboo.

No use of Country Matters: I know I used it in the title of this paragraph but that was... Actually, no it wasn't excusable. This is almost internationally thought of as the most offensive word excluding racial or sexist comments.

Use rarely: Having an character swearing every five seconds makes them unsympathetic and the words actually have less meaning on them. For example, we expect Jack to swear but never Liara, if Liara where to swear we'd know it was a dangerous situation. This applies to your characters too.

Read Mass & Energy, I mean let's move on...

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**How to deal with Mass Effect three**

Almost every single SI has knowledge of the future of Mass Effect. I personally don't read any with amnesiac heroes but that's just me. But there is one thing. For the meantime until March no one has any idea how Mass Effect 3 can end. So, how do you deal with this:

Don't: Simple enough, have them know what you know. This means that they can make a rough guess at what will happen from press releases. This however can often cause a plot hole where they somehow learn new information that they shouldn't know because they weren't here to learn it. But because the author is here they know the future. Most common option.

They're from the Future!: My personal preference, where they are from after a time where Mass Effect three was released and they know. Be sure to make only loose references to the future until it is released and we know what will happen. Run wild with this, like suggest they played Halo 4 or perhaps they actually lived to see Simpsons cancelled. A man can dream. Semi-Rare.

They don't know, because amnesia: I personally dislike this but that's not my place to change this. Is useful as they can actually act dramactilly to events that unfold in the story and there is tension at dramatic bits. Semi-Common

They're from the Past!: They have only played Mass Effect one and are waiting excitedly for the release of Mass Effect two. But oh no! They are now stuck in Mass Effect. They might not play Mass Effect two, but they can sure as hell live it. Easy to add jokes like "At least the housing market was going well where I was!" Or "Yeah I'll do that the day Gaddafi is overthrown by his own people." Sadly,I have never seen this, so get writing it!

* * *

**Conclusion**

That's another Chapter of SYIASI. I hope you found these and the previous tips helpful. Remember to review and Subscribe and I'd like to take a moment to say another thing:

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Whilst I am not putting myself up as a Beta-Reader for the moment never be afraid to Private Message me if you need any tips with your story. I wish you a happy new year and, to send us out, Mr Cave Johnson with:

**Empeorie were done here...**


	4. Chapter 4

_**So you're in a self insert 2? Electric bogaloo**_

_**Chapter 4- Snarky titles**_

Hello again and welcome. It's a new year and it's high time for a new chapter of this, the definitive (Because it's the only) guide to Mass Effect Self inserts. I've noticed that the creation of new SI's has slowed down recently. This may well be a good thing because it means that people are more focused on updating. But I digress, let's dive right in:

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**Read my previous guide, or Don't just read Sequels:**

Always a useful tip. There are some tips I can't cover in this guide because long time readers will notice I'm repeating myself. So if this is your first time reading a Self Insert guide immediately switch to "So you're in a self insert? A writers guide" for even more tips and tricks from my past self.

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**Your Views, or how no one really cares:**

Let me get something straight off the bat. No one cares about your political, religious or persona views. We come and read stories on FanFiction to be entertained, not to be educated. No sir re. Oh crap, I'm a hypocrite. Regardless you should not under any circumstances use characters you have created in order to show off your views. Especially if it's something extremely pity and even more-so if the fictional characters All Agree with you. This is another Mary Sue trait and is extremely dangerous. This makes your readers hate the character and, if your views are offensive/ Blatantly wrong/ Petty, they will hate you.

**.**

**Sex Scenes, or the short path to awkwardness:**

Let me get this out in the open. Never, ever, write a sex scene. Not only is this an a extremely hard (No pun intended) to write but is often woefully incorrect. Let's face it. Many of you are teenagers. Read the Tv Tropes article "IKEA Sex" for more information. It is far simpler and far less awkward for you to simply right an before and after and suggest they did the dirty.

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**Dramatic Tension, or the Reapers are actually still a threat you know?:**

This is a huge problem with many SI's. They mainly focus on more personal, character based stories. They create their own villains who are people that inhabit the universe (Or not as the case maybe not!). But these Fics miss the extremely large elephant in the galaxy. The main baddies of the series(Spoilers) The Reapers. The decay of their villainy usually start as soon as they introduced. Perhaps the SI acts too cocky in the face of sovereign. Perhaps the internal monologue suggests that the SI doesn't fear them at all. This is not good. This completely removes any dramatic Tension and the fear that the Reapers have over the entire series. Here are a few suggestions that can relieve this:

Sovereigns argument goes almost exactly the same way as it does in cannon. This may seem like odd advice but the original conversation is awesome and an excellent introduction.

An absolutely terrifying mission within the dead reaper. This would be awesome. By no means should you stick to the cannon mission. Go nuts, turn the entire thing into a Silent Hill-lite survival horror.

Make the reapers know of the SI's foreknowledge before ME3: This makes the Reapers terrifying to the main character and makes an interesting dynamic between the Reapers and The SI.

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**Metaphysics, or how much crazy can your story contain?:**

Ahh. Simple question. How did your SI end up within the Mass Effect universe? A simple question, but this can affect the larger plot of your story. For example, let's say your SI was brought in my someone within the universe. You may spend some of story trying to find them. You may spend some of it trying to work out the sneaky goals and how you can get back. But here is the thing you should defiantly consider. That there is very few people who will enjoy these plots. So wait until you have defiantly hooked your intended audience before you start to introduce this. Or at least make a really good non Metaphysical chapter before hand.

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**Length, or...sorry, I've got no sarcastic title here:**

Ah. An interesting question. How long should your chapters be. Whilst there is such thing as quality over quantity it would be extremely hard to get this across in 1000 words or less. I would set the minimum amount of words needed at 1150. Below this the chapter is far to short and you have clearly missed out a lot of the description or any kind of characterisation. There are exceptions, for example: This story is seen as techniqically a Si but I will always write less only about 1000 words to make the guide clear and concise. You may want to also do an out of character segment, or ask a question to your readers. Now, some of you new authors maybe wondering "Empeorie, just how on earth am I supposed to lengthen my story without considerable padding?" The answer is to spend some time detailing the characters and the environment. I don't mean long purple prose descriptions of how fantastic your character looks but more dialogue that sets up their personality. Whilst this depends on the characters personality how you do this internal monologues are always useful to both detail your characters and to lengthen your story.

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**Well that is the forth Chapter of the SI guide. I will not be updating this story until after my exams (28****th**** jan) but I will release the next chapter of Mass & Energy before then. Also, I am actually running out of tips to say so there may only be two chapters left of this guide(*Shock horror!)** **But don't worry, they are going to be some of my best Chapters yet. As always I hope this chapter has been helpful, remember to review and subscribe and as always...**

**.**

**Empeorie were done here...**


	5. Chapter 5

_**So you're in a self insert 2? Electric Bogaloo**_

_**Penultimate**_

_**.**_

Welcome to the second to last chapter of the only Mass Effect self insert guide on the entire internet! Sorry for the massive lack of updates on pretty much any stories this month but I've had GSCE exams so busy little me. But enough about me, let's dive right in with!:

* * *

_**No man is a island, or to be in a group?:**_

Being a self insert is a horrible process, ripped from you own universe/time and thrown into a fictional dimension. But you don't have to do it alone. It is becoming a rising trend with Self inserts to have not just one man but a group of people enter the universe. Here are the possible reasons why:

To limit the amount of extensional angst: In order to stop the SI from becoming a bubbling lonely mess many writers bring in their best friends in order to give each other emotional support.

To be actually able to discuss the future: It's kind of lame that the only way that a SI can spoof Mass Effect or create plans that know what will happen is through internal monologues. With other SI's however everything that may happen can be discussed in detail without any massive problems.

Because a mate of theirs is co-writing: Just to hand them a bit of credit they are in the story too.

To crossover: Occasionally you get a writer who is so lazy with characterisations that they throw in another SI that everyone knows. Ian from Masses to Masses seems to be popular. Personally I would get a collection of the worst and most Mary Sueish characters into one story and spoof the entire genre. Feel free to use that and you could probably use the guy off Reko Luna's "Mass Effect: Twisted Angel" for something like that.

* * *

_**It was a dark and stormy night, or how not to start your story:**_

Have the main character play Mass Effect in the beginning. This is so over used it does my head in. Excellent foreshadowing there, we would have never guessed they would end up in Mass Effect on the Mass Effect Fanfiction site.

Magic Xbox: No. Sometimes you get the odd person who does this not badly but nine times out of ten it is an absolutely crap way of entering the universe. Remember kids, having an Xbox be hit by lightening doesn't make a inter-fictional portal. It creates some melted plastic.

By having a massive chunk of**Bold authors notes**: Way to break suspension of disbelief there. You completely ruin the hook of your possibly interesting story by writing about what inspired you to write. Most people just skip it any way. Save it until you hooked them at the bottom of the chapter._** Authors note: **_If you explain that my SI guide inspired you then the rest doesn't matter to me. But it will to others so don't do it!

* * *

_**Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, or how to deal with negative reviews 2:**_

The dreaded two words that every writer hates... "Negative reviews!" _Lightening bolt. _ There are three types of negative reviews and I am going to cover each one:

The Constructive: Constructive criticism. Some writers may hate receiving it but it is by far the most necessary review that any writer needs. Ten positive reviews are worth one great negative review that covers each and every problem that your story may have. This means that you can fix it and create a better story from the experience. Of course it's still negative and may put people off, but that's a price you have to pay. Please write a message back to the writer explaining that you will fix these things and he/she was helpful.

The flame: Ah. If it's negative and written in under 5 words then it's a flame. There are other ways of spotting them but you can work it out pretty quickly. Do not send an angry message back, they want the attention. Just leave it.

The anonymous Flame/ Construction: Ah, either the reviewer has no account or is bloody lazy. If it's a flame delete instantly. If it's not and it's constructive then don't delete it and perhaps write a review on your own story (Delete it later: Never ever review your own story!) and ask if they can make a account do you can thank them or have a civilised debate. Then delete it.

_**Authors note: **_Please review every single story you read unless it's really crap. In which case don't give them the attention they so clearly want. If it's only mildly shit then explain why you thought that.

* * *

_**Never fear! Or don't be afraid to ask:**_

Despite what you think there is a reason that popular SI's are popular. It's not just the characters, the plot, the romance or the descriptions. No, it's because the writers are nice. You wouldn't write a story if every chapter started with him/her insulting the writers. Never be afraid to ask another writer for tips and tricks or to give their opinion on your story. I'm probably going to be lynched by M-Angel 05 for this but everyone wants to help others, from the most popular SI series writer to a first time newbie. Never be afraid to ask. Just don't ask for a review, because there is now way anyone will do that.

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**Conclusion:**

What did you learn today kids? That Empeorie can write a chapter of this in literally under a hour? I think that's a record. But seriously I hope you have enjoyed this series and perpare for the climax. We'll have tips from Herr Wozzeck, Inf3ctionz (Or however you spell it), Bale 626 and other gods of Fanfiction. I bid you all a good day and of course...

_**Empeorie were done here...**_

_**.**_

_**PS. **_Enjoyed "So you're in a self insert?" series? Think you have more tips left. I would like to select someone to write the third installment of this Fic to help others. So if you think you've got what it takes to write a sequel then read the next chapter for details.


	6. Chapter 6

_**So you're in a self insert 2? Electric bogaloo**_

_**All good things**_

Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome, to the absolutely final edition of So you're in a self insert two. It's been a long journey, we've all learnt many things. But all good things must come to an end. Follow me, as we delve...

_**Into the greatest chapter ever!**_

* * *

**First a tip from the most popular Fanfiction writer here: iNf3ctioNZ**

**.**

Personal tip on writing an SI...bear in mind that character interactions and development are more important than an action scene. There's only so many different ways you can dress up "I shot the geth, its shields went down, it died." With characters, you've got virtually infinite conversations waiting to happen, relationships to explore, side-stories to expand on. Leave the big heroics to Shepard, and make sure your character is integrated as part of the squad. People love Mass Effect because of the characters. Get that right, and they'll love your story too.

* * *

_**Excellent tip there, thanks iNf3ctioNZ: Now for**_

_**So you want to give up?**_

This is a difficult topic. Perhaps you have ran out of idea for your story? Maybe you realise the earlier chapters aren't as good as the later ones and it's putting off readers? Whatever the reason you should not cut off your story all of sudden. Whilst sometimes it's necessary there are things you can do to lessen the impact of your surrender. One tip is to spurn out as many chapters as you can whilst suggesting that the story is coming to the end as soon as you can. This leaves the reader expecting a final chapter rather then it coming out of nowhere. If you are just ending because of writers block then you should rather put the story on indefinite hold. Finally, if the story is popular then do not delete it from the archives.

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**Now for a tip from the Grandfather of the SI genre, Herr Wozzeck**

"Heyo peeps. Before I get to my tips, I thought I'd comment on how SIs have been doing in the section as of late.

I often look back on SIs around here, and often say to myself 'what the hell have I started'. It's crazy to think about how Mass Vexations has inspired so much around here it's not even funny.

And yet, there's one thing I keep noticing in SIs that appear that really bugs me to no end. See, here's the thing about Mass Vexations: for Mass Vexations and Mass Vexations 2, I actually intended it to be a deconstruction of most tendencies in self-insert fanfic elsewhere on the site. (Mass Vexations 3 is an entirely different animal, trust me.) Throughout my journeys into the rest of the site, I found SI fics that had characters that were overpowered, characters that noticeably got annoying without getting punished for it, and characters who were like 'oh yay I'm in a game world now' and instantly forgot whatever angst would show up at never being able to see family or friends again and/or had a past that was so tragic it was difficult to relate to them, and eventually becoming so important that he's actively changing canon left and right. A lot of those are tendencies I tried to avoid with MV: my character has to learn, he goes through the angst that's mentioned, and... well, he just gets sucked into something bigger than himself and has to experience the game world.

Unfortunately, the 'deconstruction' bit seemed to fly over the heads of a lot of people. And now, we have a ton of SIs/OCs all over the ME section of the site that can be categorized as Gary Stus/Mary Sues. So I thought I'd take this time to mention some fixes, not just from what I've seen in ME SI fiction but in SI fiction in other categories on this site as well. (You'd be surprised what you can learn from self-insert fanfiction across the site.)

I'll apply examples where applicable:

1) TRY NOT TO OVERSHADOW THE CANON CHARACTERS: No, I don't mean keep the POV away from your SI character: after all, this is their story. (Although, IMO it might be quite interesting if someone wrote an SI fic entirely from the point of view of a canon character rather than the SI character.) No, what I mean by 'don't overshadow the canon characters' is that your character should not hog the attention from the canon characters in any way. This is just as much the canon characters' story as it is your SI's story, and if you take the focus away from them, it can result in a major imbalance. If the SI can do an action, the canons should be able to do it just as well AT THE VERY LEAST. Some tips to avoid this:

a) HAVE A CHARACTER ARC. I mean this in a lot of ways. Try giving your SI character a characterization arc. This can help you plan out how you want your character to grow by experiencing the game. For the MV series, I can put it this way:

MV1: Gets separated from home, and has to get used to that.  
MV2: Ends up having to deal with the consequences of his choice at the start of MV1 to not tell.

Something like that should serve a good purpose for you, because it allows the reader to connect with the character.

b) AVOID HAVING YOUR SI TALK ABOUT HIMSELF A LOT. I understand that you have to have the SI character talk about himself: after all, you need to establish the character. But don't forget that this isn't just his story: it's everybody else's too. In conversations with other characters, it's often a good idea for the SI to ask things about the other person, or for the other person to talk about their lives. Having your SI talk about himself all the time comes across as "hey, look at me, I'm awesome" and can overshadow a canon quite crazily.

c) AVOID SUPERPOWERS AS BEST YOU CAN. This is a big one: nine times out of ten, giving your characters superpowers tends to result in the SI character overpowering the canons. In any canon that's not 'X-Men', it has the added problem of essentially putting a superpowered human into a world without superpowered humans. And as any reader of Superman can tell you, that places a huge amount of importance on the character who has superpowers. Here's the thing: it works when you're a hero with a ton of powers surrounded by civilians who don't. It doesn't work when you're supposed to be on a team of elite fighters. Think to the Justice League and the Avengers for a second: what do all those guys have in common? With the possible exception of Batman, damn near all of them have about the same level of power in relation to their superpowers. But when you throw in a character who's more powerful than the rest, then you run into problems. The analogy applies to Shepard's squad: you make one character more powerful than the rest, then the focus turns to that one extremely powerful character.

d) IF YOU MUST HAVE SUPERPOWERS, OFFSET THEM SOMEHOW. So I just railed against superpowers. And yet, you'll notice that I have the revised version of Into the Fire in my favorites, which might be odd given that it has a character with superpowers. Here's the thing: his superpowers end up triggering a wide-scale galactic war that gives the Reapers an advantage they never would've had before. As Uncle Ben says in Spiderman: "with great power comes great responsibility". Seeing superpowers do things they shouldn't logically do is actually much more interesting than the character using them to their own ends. On that note...

e) AVOID EASY SOLUTIONS. It's not interesting if someone is able to instantly fix shit up. Do too much of it, and it can eventually end up with your character being boring and invincible. If he can just clean up every conflict with a wave of his hand, that isn't interesting. If he has to work for it, that's much more interesting. After all, conflict is the crux of every story, and if the reader has the feeling that the hero will ALWAYS overcome every conflict without so much as a scratch, then the story loses all tension.

f) DO NOT FIX EVERYTHING YOURSELF. It's okay if other characters have to fix things for your SI character. Now, they can't fix things in your characterization arc, but for everything else, it can be just as interesting if someone else has to come in to fix your messes as well as yourself.

2)AVOID TRAGIC BACKSTORY UNLESS YOU CHARACTERIZE IT PROPERLY. This is another big one. What I've seen people do for SIs and Sues in general is to give them the most tragic backstory they possibly can in an attempt to gain reader sympathy. Here's the thing: tragic backstory doesn't make a character instantly relatable. What makes them relatable is how they react to everything, including that backstory. If not handled well, tragic backstory can come across as being a cheap plot device to attempt to gain the sympathy of the reader without working for it first. Ultimately, the backstory is only one part of what makes a character. The actual characterization has to be able to function on its own first, and then you can worry about having a backstory that isn't all sunshine and smiles.

3) AVOID UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATIONS. Here's the premise of a Stufic I encountered a while ago: "Many shall not find and realize their destiny because they do not bother, but when a new born child who lost her parents before he could do anything, he may find that he is the galaxy's last hope." Here's the thing about that fic, though: the 'new born child' in question loses his parents because an asari skips back in time saying that he's important for the fate of the galaxy. The problem is this: the asari talks to the parents, and then shows them a meld to show one of the parents her memories. It's ostensibly to show why the kid is important, but there isn't a SINGLE MENTION of how much of a threat the Reapers are. Rather, it's all pictures of the kid as an 8 year old boy, the kid graduating from college, and the kid standing over a dead Reaper.

By implication, the asari in question is technically talking about how the Stu's life will be better with her than with his biological parents. This, my friends, is how a seemingly innocuous scene can suddenly trivialize infant abduction.

Avoid doing things like this. Most readers that have brains and a moral compass are usually quick to catch on when something doesn't sound quite right after the application of logic and morality. And when they do catch on to such unfortunate implications, it can be a MAJOR turn-off for readers.

(By the way, the example I provided above comes from an ACTUAL Mass Effect fanfic. I won't tell you what it's called, but since I C+P'd the summary word for word, well… you can find out what it is on your own.)

4) ROMANCE DOES NOT COME QUICKLY. I see a lot of fics where the romance is extremely fast. Don't do that: it has the problem of seeming contrived if you do it too quickly.

5) DON'T USE MID-CHAPTER AUTHOR'S NOTES. They break the flow of the chapter, and are EXTREMELY annoying.

And those are some tips that are not covered in the guide. So happy SIing, and be mindful of what you do with your stories, m'kay?"

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**Well that was a long one. It's propably half of this chapter right there. Thank you very much Herr Wozzeck.**

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**Now, slightly off topic but somewhat relevant is these tips from Hexagonal about Crossovers:**

**.**

Anyway, here below is what I have to say about xovers:

Writing crossovers for Mass Effect can either be a relative breeze or a tough challenge; it all depends on the universes you are meshing. For example, writing about Mass Effect and Halo is great for their similarities and not too farfetched differences, while crossing ME and say, Sherlock Holmes will be a more considerable challenge. The ME fandom is both full of opportunities and difficulties to xover with because it is so unique: from the weapons and biotics to the galactic community it is set in. Unless you are writing a crackfic, there are several important rules to follow, as will be explained below.

Generally, there are several types of crossovers:

-Character xovers:  
These involve letting one or several characters from one universe visit the other one. Most notable xovers in the ME category involves the other uni's cast joining Shepard's crew and is arguably often the easiest way to cross fandoms. The most important rules are to keep everyone in character and not letting the "intruder" overpower/steal focus from everyone else; also adding the intruding party's thoughts on their surroundings and how the rest views him/her/them is important for making the story more intresting to read. Still, if you want to start writing crossovers, this is a good place to start.

-Universe xovers:  
These involve both fandoms collide in the same universe and are the toughest to write properly. On one side the writer needs to be knowledgable in both fandoms (wikis will be of huge help here); on the other hand, if the outcome of your fic is some kind of conflict, balance both sides; do not make one side crush the other one without effort. Unless you plan of having some spectacular plot twist, it is quite obvious who is going to win, and your fic will get both a very boring, standstill plot and negative reviews from fanboys. In short, don't bash.

-AU xovers:  
These ones involve having the main plot of one fandom but with elements of the other mixed in, making significant changes to the story (for example, having the plot of Mass Effect but with a different Humanity instead of the Alliance join the Citadel races, or Shepard having unique abilities). While they are not very common, the rules for Universe xovers apply here too.

Tips for good ME crossovers, with just a few ideas on what to write about:  
-Halo (plotwise a few similarities, AI debates)  
-Warhammer (the Imperium of Man despises xenos, so there is good plot material here)  
-Star Wars (biotics/Force, space battles)  
-Other Bioware games

Remember, apart from these basic rules above, there are no real ways of writing a crossover "the right way". In the end, you decide how the plot unfurls, who wins over who, and who gets paired up.

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**Thanks Hexagonal, now the final tip from a avid reader of this: M-Angel 05**

**.**

When the idea's run out...

Okay, so when I got writer's block with my story, it took 4 1/2 weeks to update Surviving Hero, I took a step back from the story to think what I wanted my SI to do. I got my inspiration by looking at ME art online and thought what my character would do if she was there. Inspiration can come from lots of scorces. My tip is, if you lose your inspiration for a story don't go "oh well, i'm done" and give it a stupid ending. Go out and look for inspiration. It could be from music and art to your very own friends and family. Just don't give up on your story or yourself...ever.

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**Perfect tip, even got the snarky title right. Thanks for everything old girl.  
**

**.**

_**The final epilogue:**_

I've came a long way from when I first added my rather odd chapter of the misspelt "So Your in a self insert? A writers guide." Back then I was a nobody, I had a rather shitty SI (Still do, something I plan to rectify.) and a overinflated ego. But now I'm still the same small name big ego man, but with not one but two semi decent guides that actually help people. I was once asked why I wrote these guides. And I gave my two honest answers: I get bored and I enjoy helping people in whatever way I can. And if that includes writing something that no one else seems to write then so be it.

Now, fans of me may want to know my planned schedule, here it is:

_**Finish 2070 as awesomely as possible:**_

2070 is my rather unique fallout Fic. Not a self insert but a look a a situation that is only briefly touched upon in the games. Both the state of the united kingdom and the final hours of civilisation. Go check it out, you'll love it.

_**Remove all writer block projects:**_

This includes "Academia, adrenaline and ascension", Mass & Energy and, sorry, Mass Hysteria.

_**Write Mass & Energy decently:**_

I understand the fundamental problems with it and I intend to rectify it. Watch this space.

_**Codename: Die-hard 2:**_

A project I can't talk about at the moment, but I think you people are going to love it.

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Actually, let's talk about it right now!

_**But I want more tips! Or "So you're in a self insert 3? Write harder:" **_

What, you thought it was over? Oh no. My dear friends it has only just begun. I am proud to announce that I will be concluding this epic trilogy. With the help of the best of you reviewers, the best and brightest minds of Mass Effect Fanfiction and, of course, me, I will write a sequel to this god damn fic if it kills me. So what do you say people? What to help me? Think you can affect the future of Mass Effect SI's?

Then do your duty and help me help you help us all. I can't do this alone, I'm spent when it comes to tips, but that's what you guys are here for right?

_**See you in the fall.**_


	7. Last annoucement

_**So you're in a self insert? **_

_**My final announcement.**_

_**.**_

Ladies and Gentlemen. For the past two months I have failed to update a single story of mine. And I have no intention of doing so. I have neither the time, the imagination or the energy to continue my series. This, sadly, includes the rather influential "So you're in a self insert? A writers guide". From the series humble origins, badly spelt titles, and strange appearances, yet I had managed to write what has likely inspired, along with Masses to Masses and Mass Vexations, the great SI rush of 2011-2012 (Working title). We've had readers from the unknown, like Whoa Heavy, to my friends, M4GIC OR4NGE and CuhAdian, and finally the greats, Herr Wozzeck, InF3ctionZ, TheRev 28 and M-Angel 05. But sadly, for me, the tale must end.

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All however, may not be lost. I has asked, and he has accepted, that Cuhadian continue my "Legacy". He shall write the final chapter in the Self inserts guide. But I'm sure he can't do this alone. So I am asking that my fans, readers and reviewers do what they do best and give in tips. Perhaps, in a strange way, maybe I will give tips to my own Fic. We'll see.

And so my readers, I say to you goodbye. You have all been a wonderful audience, and I thank you all.

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Oh and by the way, readers of my own SI, which I probably won't update ever again, the catalyst turns out to be the **[REDACTED- PREPARE FOR THE GREAT JOURNEY].**

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Good night people.


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